Building a brand identity for your business can be challenging. From your logo, colors, to brand messaging, everything has to be on-point.

Otherwise, you cannot resonate with your target market.

But to take the pressure off of your shoulders, let’s talk about your fonts first.

According to Midori Nediger, a perfect brand font should pass the following criteria:

• Unique and memorable
• Legible or easy to read
• Works on every platform
• Communicates your brand personality

That said, here are five branding tips you should know when choosing the fonts that will work for your business:

Figure Out Your Brand Personality

A business needs to have a well-defined brand personality. That’s because your brand personality is what will make your business relatable to your customers.

Moreover, your brand voice, color scheme, design, and fonts should align with your brand personality.

If you do not know your brand’s personality, think through how you would want people to perceive your business. Find at least three adjectives that best describe your brand.

Understand Font Categories and Their Personalities

Font categories are an excellent place to start when finding the right fonts for your brand. That’s because each category has its personality that you can use when selecting, pairing, and identifying brand fonts.

The six basic font classifications and their personalities are:

1. Serif: Traditional, classic, and trustworthy.
2. Sans-serif: Modern, clean, and minimal.
3. Slab serif: Bold, confident, and quirky.
4. Script: Unique and elegant.
5. Handwritten: Informal yet artistic.
6. Decorative: Stylized and distinctive.

Consider Your Budget and Licensing Needs

Before you pick your brand fonts, consider how you will source them.

Some fonts require license purchase so that you can use them in perpetuity. Some fonts are available in free and open sources like Google Fonts and Font Library.

Going for free fonts or buying licensed has its pros and cons. Regardless, please do what you can afford at the moment, as long as you consider their classification and personalities.

Pick a Pair of Brand Fonts

You have identified your brand personality, and you have an idea of what font personality to look for. The next step is to look for fonts that you can use for your business.

Keep in mind that each font classification has various styles that can impact the vibe your fonts give off. This explains why pairing fonts play a significant role in brand building.

Here are some font pairing schemes that you can follow:

Single Traditional Serif Fonts

You can never go wrong with pairing similar fonts. Pairing a traditional serif subheader with the same header style is a foolproof method to look like a trustworthy brand. This is ideal if you manage a non-profit organization.

Bold with Regular Sans-serif

If you want a sleek and professional look, consider pairing a bold sans-serif header with a regular sans-serif subheader.

This pairing scheme exudes a clean and minimal look. Plus, this is an ideal pairing to try if your typography skills are next to none.

Thin Sans-serif Header with Light Serif Subheader

For a high-end and expensive look, consider pairing thin sans-serif headers with light serif subheaders. Doing so creates a delicate and expensive look. No wonder this font pairing scheme is popular among beauty brands.

Serif Header with Sans-serif Subheader

Such a font pairing exudes a trustworthy yet approachable personality. Moreover, serif and sans-serif styles for a natural pairing, allowing you to balance classic and modern.

Thick and Rounded Sans-serif Plus Thin Sans-serif

If you are looking for a playful font pairing, consider using a thick and rounded sans-serif header and a thin sans-serif subheader. This is ideal if you run a kid-friendly business like a toy store or daycare.

Meet These Basic Font Requirements

Now that you have your pair of brand fonts, the next thing you need to do is ensure that they meet these three essential criteria:

Flexibility

You will likely be stuck with your chosen fonts for at least three years. That said, you should check that they will work well across all mediums. This includes packaging design, website and blog, social media graphics, presentations, and more.

Multiple Font Weights

Having your brand fonts in multiple weights (i.e., light, regular, bold) and integral in developing text hierarchy. Doing so can help you differentiate between headers, subheaders, body text, calls to action, and more.

Legibility

No matter how fancy your brand fonts are, it will not matter if your audience finds it difficult to read.

But that does not necessarily mean you should change your fonts. What you can do instead is work on your brand fonts’ spacing. We’re talking about leading, kerning, and tracking.

Conclusion: Pick a Font That Matches Your Brand Personality

Branding, in general, can be tricky. But when it comes to choosing a font that is right for your brand, find a pair that is aligned with your brand personality.

That’s because the fonts you use can impact how you communicate with your audience and customers. Meanwhile, it can also affect how other people perceive your brand.

By picking the fonts that reflect your brand’s personality and values, you can attract the right customers and audience to your brand.